


Pillow Case

by Creep



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-03
Updated: 2017-08-03
Packaged: 2018-12-10 13:55:09
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11693052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Creep/pseuds/Creep
Summary: He checked that he has all his stuff and he was about to leave when his eyes caught the pillow on the bed. It still had the imprint of Yuri’s head. On impulse, Otabek grabbed the pillow and took the pillow case, putting it on his bag.He left his room and wondered what the fuck he had just done.





	Pillow Case

Another year, another night after the Grand Prix Final. Otabek watched the boy next to him, ranting probably for the tenth time that night how glad he was that ’ _justice had finally happened_ ’ and it hadn’t been ' _JJ fucking Leroy_ ’ on the podium, but him and Otabek. And Yuuri Katsuki. Yuuri had gotten gold, Yuri silver and Otabek bronze… though he had barely beaten Phichit. But he had. And it was amusing to see that Yuri seemed almost even more pleased about it than him.  
  
”Though the best situation would’ve been me getting gold, you silver and the piggy bronze… but maybe next time, yeah?”  
To which Otabek teasingly said: ”Who knows, maybe I’ll beat _you_ next time…”  
Yuri answered by hitting Otabek with a pillow. ”Yeah right!”  
Otabek threw the pillow away from his face, to see Yuri’s expression change into a thoughtful one. ”Though I’d rather have you beat me than anyone else.”  
  
Those words made something warm well up in Otabek’s chest. He had been Yuri’s friend (well, _best_ friend) for a year now and he knew for sure that if he would ever manage to beat Yuri, the boy would only be proud and happy for Otabek.  
  
They were in Otabek’s hotel room, where they had camped out after the banquet. It had been an eventful night during which Yuuri had gotten wasted again, though this time he had dragged Victor into dancing with him... which Victor hadn’t seem to mind at all.  
”For fuck’s sake, they should get a room already!” Yuri had groaned, glaring at the kissing pair annoyed.  
”I’m pretty sure they _do_ have a room,” Otabek couldn’t have resisted pointing out. Yuri’s glare had been turned to him at that remark.  
”Oh fuck off,” he had said but Otabek had noticed the small smile on his lips after the eye roll.  
  
Yuri did have his own hotel room too but somewhere along the year of being friends they had formed a certain habit of them both staying in the other’s hotel room. Even though Russia and Kazakhstan weren’t that far apart, they both had their own hard training and routines so they didn’t get to see each other that much. So of course they planned to make the most of being able to hang out every time they could, even if it was for a day or two.  
  
They hadn’t stayed at the banquet for that long because neither of them really cared about socializing with the other skaters, Yuri had been complaining about having to wear a suit (though he had blushed when Otabek had pointed out that Yuri looked very good in it) and not being able to drink any alcohol because he was 17. And of course, Viktor and ‘the pig’ had been acting gross again. So they had sneaked out when their coaches weren’t paying attention, walking around in Helsinki, enjoying the night in the city.  
  
At some point Yuri had grabbed his hand and there they were, walking around hand in hand. Otabek hadn’t been surprised; he was already used to the fact that Yuri liked physical contact with the people he cared about. Otabek had seen how Yuri had basically jumped to hug his grandpa and Otabek knew how much Yuri loved his grandpa so to see Yuri act so comfortable around Otabek made him feel really special. He really liked the feeling of Yuri’s slender hand in his… a bit too much, maybe. They just seemed to fit together so easily. Sometimes Otabek felt paranoid, worrying that his whole body turned into a very loudly beating heartbeat and he wondered if Yuri could feel it too, that he would ask why Otabek’s heart was beating so hard when they were just walking around, two athletes…  
  
But Yuri just continued walking, pointing out to stuff every now and then, his eyes shining brighter than the city lights.  
  
”Oh, Otabek! Did you know there’s a cat café here in Helsinki?”  
Otabek smiled at Yuri. ”No, I didn’t.”  
”It sucks that it’s so late already and my flight leaves so early tomorrow,” Yuri sighed.  
Otabek thought about Yuri, getting to see the cats and pet them, thought about how brightly his eyes would shine _then_ and how he would squeal at how cute the cats were… damn, Otabek really wanted to see that.  
  
”We’ll go there next time,” Otabek said.  
”Yeah? Think there will be a next time?”  
”Sure there will. And if not, we just have to start traveling around the world, visiting all the cat cafés there is.”  
It was a crazy idea and Otabek wasn’t fully serious but after seeing the bright smile on Yuri’s face… yes, he definitely would.  
”Yes, let’s go! Though Yakov would probably kill me for running off for that long… so when we’re both retired?”  
  
Otabek raised his eyebrow, looking at Yuri. They hadn't even realised they had stopped walking, just looking at each other.  
”Who knows how many years that will be… you think you will stick around for years?”  
”Come on, you’re my favourite person in the world. After grandpa, of course! So I’m not letting you go, got it?”  
  
Otabek nodded, smiling. His heartbeat was irregular again. _I’m Yuri’s best friend. Just a friend. So get your shit together_ , he tried telling his heart but it refused to listen.  
  
So there they were, at his hotel room. Otabek had braided Yuri’s hair, while Yuri had been updating his Instagram, posting a few pictures of their walk around Helsinki and tagging Otabek into them. Otabek used to be bad at using his social media, but after becoming friends with Yuri, Otabek had now grown used to adding photos, sometimes even more than once a day and he had learned to use Snapchat too. He had been content enough with just seeing Yuri’s posts, selfies, his cat, scenery, foods, training… Victor and Yuuri making out in the distance and Yuri making disgusted faces at the camera… Otabek always laughed out loud at those. But after Yuri had complained about Otabek never posting anything, Otabek had started to do that more and now he was already used to it, smiling when Yuri was one of the first people to like and comment his posts.  
  
Yuri suddenly yawned loudly. ”I guess it’s time to go to bed,” Otabek chuckled.  
”Already? I’m not tired yet, just felt like yawning!”  
  
Otabek laughed and opened the braid he made earlier, he ran his fingers through Yuri’s hair, trying to ignore the small content sigh Yuri let out and leaned into Otabek even more. ”Yura, it’s already 2am… and you have to wake up early to catch your plane.”  
”I can just sleep on the plane! Besides if I’ll be awake to see Victor and Katsudon being all lovey-dovey, I’ll just end up throwing up!”  
Otabek laughed. ”Maybe it’s a good opportunity to grow your tolerance towards them… come on, time to get ready for bed.”  
Yuri groaned but let Otabek pull him up and they brushed their teeth side to side and went to bed.  
  
Otabek had learned quickly that Yuri liked sleeping next to him. At first it had been a bit weird for Otabek, since he hadn’t slept on the same bed with a friend after elementary school… but pretty soon he had gotten used to it and now he was always looking forward to sleeping next to Yuri. Yuri pushed his back against Otabek’s chest and Otabek put his arm around the boy, pulled him in. Yeah, that too… Otabek was already used to spooning and cuddling with Yuri. He had gotten pretty confused about it at first, at Yuri pressing against him but now he knew that it was just Yuri showing affection.   
  
Yuri’s slender body seemed to fit right into his and his hair always smelled amazing. He was warm too. They just lied there in the darkness, just enjoying each other before Yuri said: ”I don’t wanna go tomorrow… it will be fucking months ‘til we get to see each other again. This sucks!” Otabek swallowed. It felt like he was swallowing a small stone. He knew it too, the hours were ticking away too quickly and he knew that too soon he would fall asleep and then wake up alone, Yuri already miles away.  
  
”At least we can talk on Skype every day. And send photos and texts all the time,” Otabek said.  
”Yeah… but it’s not the same,” Yuri said and his voice was tight.  
”I know,” Otabek said quietly and hugged Yuri even tighter. ”But one day we’ll get to go to our cat café road trip and then we’ll spend so much time together that we get sick of each other.”  
Yuri laughed a bit. ”I could never get sick of you,” he said, sounding so sincere that Otabek’s heart probably somersaulted at that point. He couldn’t even blame it.  
”I could never get sick of you, either,” he said softly.  
  
They planned their road trip until Yuri fell asleep. Otabek still had the boy in his arms and just listening to his steady breathing made Otabek’s eyelids feel very heavy. He tried to force himself to stay awake for just a bit more, just a while longer… he wanted to feel Yuri’s warmth as long as he can, he wanted to breath the familiar scent in just a bit longer… but sooner than he wanted to, he could feel himself falling asleep.  
  
As Otabek had known, Yuri was already gone by the time he woke up. He checked his phone to see there was a lot of messages from Yuri. Usually waking up to that made Otabek smile but now it just hurt, because it made it even more real. Yuri was gone. Otabek knew he should get up, since he also had a plane to catch later and he had made breakfast plans with his coach last night… but he just lied there, grabbing the pillow Yuri had used. It still had Yuri’s scent and Otabek inhaled the pillow and immediately he felt calm. Otabek realised what he was doing and blushed, thankful no one was around to see that. Shit. There was no use denying it anymore, he had a crush on his best friend. A bad one, even, when he caught himself doing something like that…  
  
Otabek got up and decided to get ready, to get some distraction. He replied to Yuri’s texts, trying his best to ignore the smile he couldn’t fight when he saw that Yuri had taken another one of those selfies with Viktor and Yuuri on background, their noses together, smiling at each other. _These two assholes… it’s 7am!! Too fucking early for this!!_ And a bunch of barfing and angry emojis.  
  
Otabek packed his stuff, brushed his teeth and tried to sort out his bedhair but it was another one of those days when his hair just refused to co-operate so he let it be and grabbed a beanie from his back bag and put it on. He got a text from his coach saying ’I’m at the lobby now’, to which Otabek replied ’Ok, I’ll be there in 5’.  
  
He checked that he has all his stuff and he was about to leave when his eyes caught the pillow on the bed. It still had the imprint of Yuri’s head. On impulse, Otabek grabbed the pillow and took the pillow case, putting it on his bag.  
  
He left his room and wondered what the fuck he had just done.  
  
He didn’t fully realise it, until he got to the lobby and greeted his coach. He had checked out of the hotel, avoiding looking at the receptionist, feeling like she knew he had a stolen pillow case in his bag, he was suddenly sure everyone in the lobby knew and stared at him, judging. He had never before in his life stolen anything. God, what had he been _thinking_? Well, nothing, that was for sure… nothing but the fact that the pillow case had been the only thing that had Yuri’s scent. He was a mess! They were almost about to leave the hotel, but Otabek stopped. His coach turned to look at him.  
  
”Otabek? What is it?”  
”I uh – ”  
  
The guilt was making his head feel heavy, he was probably about to get a panic attack so he wasn’t able to come up with anything. ”I stole a pillow case from my room!”  
There was a dead silence for a while that felt like five minutes, with his coach just staring at him in disbelief and they just stood there, staring at each other. ”You… _what_? _Why_?” his coach asked.  
  
Otabek opened his mouth, not sure what he was about to say because _no way in hell_ was he going to say ’well you know, it had Yuri Plisetsky’s scent on it…’  
”You know what? Never mind. Just go return it if it bothers you that much,” his coach sighed and he was obviously trying to hide it, but Otabek could see he was amused. Otabek nodded and turned around, mentally kicking himself for being so embarrassing.  
  
He almost ran into someone and apologized for almost bumping into them. It was Phichit.  
”Have a nice trip, Otabek!” he said cheerfully and maybe Otabek was imagining it, but his grin looked kind of sneaky.  
”Uh… you too,” Otabek managed to say and the Thai was gone.  
  
Otabek walked to the reception, not completely ready for the most awkward interaction of his life.  
  
***  
  
A few days later Otabek was video chatting with Yuri, trying his best to focus on listening to what his friend was saying, instead of just staring at him, thinking about how cute he looked with his hair on a bun.  
  
“Oh, right! I almost forgot!” Yuri suddenly said, in the middle of explaining about his practise.  
“Hm?”  
“Phichit told the pig who told me that he had overheard some weird shit…”  
  
Otabek swallowed, he could almost feel cold sweat on his neck. Please, for the love of… no. For the past few days, he had tried _not_ to think about the whole pillow case stealing episode and had promised to himself he would never, ever tell anyone, especially Yuri. When he was trying to fall asleep, he could remember the look on his coaches’ face, the weird look the receptionist had given him when he had told her he had ’accidentally’ taken a pillow case… he felt absolutely mortified just thinking about it. And now, there Yuri was, looking curious and of course Otabek wouldn’t be _that_ lucky, of course Phichit had heard and told about it to his best friend who was Katsuki who had apparently told Yuri…  
  
”Weird shit?” Otabek managed to ask with a weak voice.  
”Beka, did you steal a frigging pillow case from your hotel room?” _Fuck_.  
”Uh… yeah. I mean, no. I returned it,” Otabek said, feeling his cheeks warm up.  
Yuri snorted. ”Oh my god! You do know that people steal shit from hotels all the time, right? So no one would have given a fuck. I used to steal everything I could when I was younger.”  
  
Otabek had heard that many people did that, but he hadn’t known Yuri had also… though he wasn’t very surprised to hear that. ”Yeah, I know… I just felt so bad about it.” Yuri laughed. A lot. ”You’re a frigging dumbass,” he said but his tone was incredibly fond. ”Tell me about it,” Otabek muttered.  
  
”Why even take it when you knew you would feel bad? And who the hell tries to steal a pillow case? I mean, yeah the pillows were nice and all that, but…”  
There it was. The question Otabek had been afraid about. ”I didn’t think about it. It just happened.”  
He paused, tried to come up with some excuse, _any_ excuse. His head was completely blank. ”It… had your scent on it,” Otabek muttered, not being able to look at Yuri.  
  
The silence following seemed so loud and Otabek thought that maybe he should just disconnect now and just avoid Yuri for the rest of his life, how hard could that be?  
  
”Oh,” Yuri finally said and that didn’t make anything easier, since the only emotion Otabek could pick up from his voice was surprise.  
”I’m sorry, I know it’s weird and creepy and – ”  
”It’s not!” Otabek finally glanced at his screen, at Yuri, to see the boy was blushing.  
  
”It’s not?”  
”I mean… it probably would be creepy if it was anyone else but it’s _you_ so it’s just… kinda cute.”  
  
_Wait, what_? And now was Yuri who wasn’t looking at his screen, he was looking to somewhere on his left and he was blushing even more furiously. Yuri really just had said that, hadn’t he? _Kin-DA cu-TE, kin-DA cu-TE_ , said Otabek’s heartbeat.  
  
”Next time… I’ll give you my shirt and you give me yours, alright? Anyways, I gotta go, bye.”  
Before Otabek could even realise what Yuri had said (because he said the rest so quickly it took a moment for Otabek to process it) but when he did realise, he noticed Yuri had already signed off. _I’ll give you my shirt and you give me yours_ … Otabek couldn’t help the wide smile finding its way to his face. And afterwards, he might’ve counted the days until he would see Yuri again.


End file.
